It's tough to imagine Boulder without this classic bagel shop slinging dough at groggy citizens (or, of course, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed hikers on their way to Sanitas). Our favorite is a breakfast sandwich on an Italian bagel, but we won't look at you funny if you pick up mini-bagels. They are pretty cute, after all.

Be seen and be fed: Spruce Confections has a lovely Pearl St. patio just west of the mall, and if you can score a seat there on one of our fair city's many warm, clear days, you're in for a slice of heaven. Grab a savory sandwich or do like we do and opt for some chai and a pastry. We won't tell your dentist.

From the Alpha King-winning Hop Vivant down to the ever-popular Blackberry Wheat, there's something at the Sun for everybody.

While we're past the Sun's Stout Month (February), they keep good stouts on hand all year round -- and every month, as far as we're concerned, is hops month. We think we hear an FYIPA calling our name. Back in a few (days).

If you're looking for a classed-up night on the town, you have to go to Pearl Street. And if you're looking for a great classed-up night on the town, you have to go to the Kitchen Upstairs.

The wine list -- and fine beer list -- won't disappoint and the vibe is metropolitan in a way you won't find elsewhere in Boulder. Put on your nice jeans, Boulder. We'll see you there for a tasting hour.

The Laughing Goat quickly established itself as a hangout for people who like caffeinated beverages in an artsy setting.

Some say it's the only heir to the legacy of longtime Boulder hangout Penny Lane, and there's something to that: good music that you won't find anywhere else, that cluttered-on-purpose feel and a strong sense of community are what keep people coming back to the Goat.

What's in a name? Well, desserts. Maybe the fam's in town (love it when Dad buys), maybe you're looking for a pre-packaged, count-on-it celebration date or maybe you just need some goddamn cheesecake. Who you gonna call?

Yeah, you know what you want -- you want a night at the 'downer. Gimme a PBR or whatever else in one of those sweet, squat glasses, we'll mingle briefly around the showoffs shooting stick and then we'll hover over one of the booths until the couple sitting there get the hint and split. Then hold down the fort until closing time, because the jukebox is solid, the beer is flowing and the people are our people.

If you want a nice dinner, you might as well hit a homerun with it. Frasca is a world-class restaurant with food to die for and a master sommelier to tell you all about the bouquet of your tipple. We don't know about you, but we don't like our tipples to get too dry. Come on, don't take it that way -- you're such an oenophile. Point is, you just won't find a finer modern restaurant in Boulder, and the voters know it.

Oh mommy, what we wouldn't do for a Good Times burger right now. These guys do the fast food thing right: the burgers are tasty, fresh and never frozen, and they'll toss on some bacon at the drop of a hat. If that's not enough for you, and we know it's not, the Wild Fries will keep you coming back.

If that's not enough, then it's time to consider dessert: delicious frozen custard. It's the best fast food dessert in town, mercilessly beating the daylights out of any other options. Creamy, cold and rich -- hot weather or cold, we need our custard.

Here's the thing about burgers: every ingredient counts. Even if there's a lot of stuff going on, one bad pickle can throw off your whole noshing experience. Larkburger gets that -- they've called themselves "quick-gourmet" to separate themselves from fast food, but really it is what fast food should be.

They make all of their sauces in-house, they hand-form the patties when you order them -- it's almost as if they want to give you something that goes beyond being simply edible. What a concept, right? These burgers are delicious, and the care with which Larkburger makes them pays off.

The Med's happy hour is legendary with good cause. A group of any size can plop down, get started on some bevvies and slowly pick its way down the tapas menu, trying a bit of this, some of that until everybody's found their favorite and ordered seconds.

There's no reason anyone should ever leave happy hour with an empty stomach, and there's no reason happy hour should ever be cut short by people getting too tipsy because they're not balancing their booze with their carbs. And if you're at the Med, there's no reason you should have to worry about either of those scenarios. Eat up!

Glacier Ice Cream is the real deal -- quality ingredients, home-made scrumptiousness and about 80 flavors to choose from in their stores. Plus, there's more than ice cream. Glacier also whips up sorbet, gelato, frozen yogurt and non-dairy frozen goodness right here in Boulder.

Some of Glacier's top picks include Death by Chocolate (which claims to cram in the maximum legal limit of chocolate), Chai (a spicy blend in Madagascar Bourbon vanilla) and Key Lime Pie (it boasts half the fat of regular ice cream).

From their hearty dishes to their climbing- and Buddha-inspired décor, Sherpa's Restaurant brings the culture of the Himalaya to the edge of the foothills Boulder.

Warm up your appetite with their fluffy naan or or flaky samosas, then dive into their traditional dishes, like saag or tikka masala, most of which you can order vegetarian or with chicken, shrimp, lamb or even salmon. For a tasty Tibetan treat, try the momos, vegetarian or not, which are served with a delicious chutney for dipping.

One thing we love about Laudisio is that they're everywhere with their mobile oven, sharing pizza with the unwashed masses at farm-to-table events, outdoor markets and wherever else they can park the thing. You just get the sense that they know the city from being out and about so much.

But if that's the only way you're experiencing Laudisio, you're obviously missing out on their award-winning wine list. So enjoy the mobile oven when you see it, but get yourself under their roof for the full-on Laudisio experience -- and arrive hungry.

If Rush's goal is to cram as many all-natural goodies into their multitude of smoothies as possible, they seem to have achieved unequivocal success. Or enlightenment. Maybe that's just the American Buddha smoothie (raspberry, peach, green tea, frozen yogurt and milk).

The same goes for Rush's bowls, which they call a "meal in a bowl." Loaded with fruit and granola and topped off with more yummies, Rush offers these in-house or portable for to-go crunchy goodness.

And since Rush pledges pure, natural foods, health nuts who walk in the door need not fret. Win.

There's something about running out for Cosmo's Pizza at 1 a.m. that makes it a little extra delish.

Is it that the spicy ranch dip -- so popular they sell it by the pint -- is better late at night? Or that giant slices, drenched in great ingredients like feta cheese or sun-dried tomatoes, take up the whole plate and make you feel like you could stay up until sunrise?

Or the fact that you waited in line for those slices when you should've been finishing that mid-term paper (busted!)?

Eat in at either location and soak up the ambiance; both are open until 2:30 a.m. every night.

The Rio's margarita menu has a long-standing and well-deserved reputation as the best in town. Beauty is, whether you go for a standard house marg, agave or the Big Tex (has a hint of orange, longhorns), you can't go wrong.

OK, the only way you can go wrong is if you try to exceed the Rio's three-marg limit. But take our word for it -- the portions are generous. Three is plenty. In fact, you'll need to put together a custom nacho order to absorb some of that limey-sweet goodness.

You want spicy? There's a scale at Efrain's, and it's 1 to 10, where 9 and 10 can only be perceived by people who still have tongues and sinuses after the first three bites.

This is seriously good Mexican grub, and if you want to show you're a real aficionado, skip the (amazing) menu and just ask for the Efrain's burrito: "real manly meal which includes a variety of our delectables rolled into a large flour tortilla, smothered in who knows what." Yeah, that's right. It's a burrito surprise. A big one. But we know how this story ends: With a happy food nap on the couch. Goodnight, moon. Goodnight, chile verde. Goodnight, hunger.

Thanks to the 2007 lift on the long-time ban of absinthe in the U.S., Boulderites can head to this bar to sample its assortment of the namesake drink.

But the lines to get in on Saturday nights aren't just for the sweet green nectar. The music pumping out the door from an assortment of D.J.s keeps the party coming in. On Wednesdays, it's a slightly different dancing crowd, with salsa lessons at 7:30 and an open floor for salseros the rest of the night.

Conceived of by the folks who brought you Frasca, Pizzeria Locale is one of the best parts of Boulder's recent pizza boom. The pizzeria boasts Napoli-inspired pies with swankier ingredients, like arugula and prosciutto. They'll also do gluten-free crust if you ask. Just save room for the butterscotch pudding at the end of the evening.

Watching the sun set over the Flatirons with one of the Rio's famous margaritas in hand, it's easy to forget all your worries. That's what makes the Rio's rooftop a little magical on a nice evening. (Or it's the tequila.)

Planning to park for a while and take advantage of the three-marg limit? Start with some chips and guac, then move on to crab and shrimp enchiladas. Sun still setting? Time for dessert and your third marg -- Big Tex? Agave? Make it a good one.

Despite our mountainous base here in Colorado, Jax always lands a stellar variety of fresh seafood. And the menu is fresh, too -- from curry to wasabi to Cajun, the menu at Jax on any given day is always a pleasant surprise.

Speaking of getting fresh, Jax has one of the more unusual happy hours in Boulder: oysters for a buck each, or oyster shooters -- an oyster in a shot glass with bloody mary mix and vodka -- for $2.

Sports fans have been gathering to watch the Buffs -- and just about any other game happening anywhere -- for a decade. With more than 40 televisions, it might seem like the place to watch the game. And it is. But it's also the place to chillax on the rooftop, kick back with their brew of the day, munch on fried green beans and talk smack about pool sharking your pals in the game room.

Don't bother acting coy when you order magic mushrooms as an appetizer at Hapa. With 69, foreplay and climax rolls on the menu, they've heard it all. Save your bashfulness for when you ask for the multiple orgasm -- smoked salmon, crab and cream cheese rolled for your pleasure.

As a bonus, you get to enjoy your multiple orgasm (roll) with a sake cocktail in a chic modern setting. Was it good for you?

The chefs at Leaf believe your food should be bursting with taste whether you're vegetarian or a carnivore. To do that, they track down the best organic and seasonal ingredients to create eclectic cuisine for herbivores and omnivores alike. They even have raw offerings -- the raw lasagna features zucchini and squash "noodles."

Leaf also provides a full bar that includes organic and biodynamic wines...and a serene setting to savor them in.

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Boulder is pretty good at producing rock bands, and by "rock," we mean the in-your-face, guitar-heavy, leather-clad variety — you know, the good kind. For a prime example, look no farther than BANDITS. Full Story